First Ever Footage: Watch Coral Bleaching Happen Before Your Eyes

August 16, 2016 - Images of devastated coral reefs, a common reminder of climate change, can give the impression of a static landscape. But time-lapse footage of coral bleaching as it happens shows a surprisingly active process. This video, taken by scientists in a laboratory at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, captures a coral ejecting its resident population of algae. The behavior helps corals survive warmer water in the short term, but extended periods of bleaching can be lethal to corals and the ecosystems they support.

First Ever Footage: Watch Coral Bleaching Happen Before Your Eyes

August 16, 2016 - Images of devastated coral reefs, a common reminder of climate change, can give the impression of a static landscape. But time-lapse footage of coral bleaching as it happens shows a surprisingly active process. This video, taken by scientists in a laboratory at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, captures a coral ejecting its resident population of algae. The behavior helps corals survive warmer water in the short term, but extended periods of bleaching can be lethal to corals and the ecosystems they support.